How can you incorporate additional effective elements into your written communication?

Answer 1

Try following this 5 point plan:

• Consider the Audience - Understand who you are trying to communicate to (i.e. Stakeholder or Stakeholders) and what information they want from you. Communication up the management chain will be different from communication to a team. Different audiences will have different needs and may require different tailored styles, format and content.
• Understand fully what you are trying to communicate - are you informing, consulting, involving/engaging, escalating, partnering. The different mechanism will depend on how much potential influence/interest and how often you communicate with them. Make it clear from the start what you are trying to do and what outcome you are seeking to achieve.
• Establish credibility and pay close attention to the small details - Make sure you write appropriately, accurately and concisely, with no spelling mistakes, objectively, with reason not emotionally charged, try to reduce any chance of misunderstandings or confusion or ambiguity or open to interpretation, bear in mind the business context and timing of the communications. Make sure you are happy that whatever you write can be seen by anyone - it maybe used against you otherwise.
• Feedback - Did the communication do the job required? How can it be improved? Ask for feedback and try to improve next time.
• Don't try and use written communications when an event requires face to face meetings (e.g. initial meetings to establish business relationships, conflict management, negotiations, appraisals). Written communications has its limits, and don't exceed these otherwise you could make situations worse.